Plate 3G8. 



LAXTAXAS, JULIUS C^SAR, MADAME DUrOY, 

 AXD ADOLPIIE IIIVASS. 



A strange and, as wo think, a quite undeserved prejudice 

 seems to exist against the tribe of plants whicli wc now figure; 

 and to remove wliich, and bring them before those who take 

 pleasure in varied forms of flowers, as jilants of real value, 

 has been our object in making tlu>m the subject of our Plate. 



The Lantana is very largely used in Fraiiec for dcconitive 

 ])urposes, both in ]iots and for bedding purposes. We saw 

 large beds of them in several of the public jiarks and gardens 

 of Paris, during the present year; and in a pleasant walk 

 through our world-wide-known subtropical department at 

 Battersea, we found that INIr. Gibson has also used them. Wc 

 also saw a fine collection of the newest varieties at INIessrs. 

 E. G. Henderson and Co., AVellington House, St. John's AVood, 

 and were obligingly favoured by Iiini with blooms of those 

 now figured. We have had also, in our own small gieeidiouse. 

 jdants of them, displaying their gay blooms from the beginning 

 of August until the present time (November 20th). Surely, 

 then, they arc deserving of more attention. 



We have heard of two objeclions to them ; one, that they 

 have a peculiarly unpleasant odour, ^^'e think this must be a 

 matter of taste simply ; the flowers themselves Iia\ e liardly any, 

 and the leaves, when bruised, emit an odour very similar to 

 the black currant, so that this can hardly be called very un- 

 pleasant. Tlie other objection has, perhaps, more in it; that as 

 cut blooms they very soon fade: this is true, but tlien ihey 

 need not be cut, but merely kept as decorati\e plants. 'J'hey 

 have one remarkable featme. viz. the chanjrine character of 



